Game device



17} 1939- c. J. BREITENSTEIN 2,144,240

GAME DEVICE Filed May 26, 1937 66003265 ifiiii ew 'ein y PMMM- naturism. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES GAME DEVICE Charles J. Brcitcnstein, Chicago, IlL, assignor to Raymond T. Moloney, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 26, 1937, Serial No. 144,914

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a game or amusement device of the pin ball rolling type. More particularly it relates to a novel game board accessory in the form of an improved target device adapted to be contacted and weight operated by a free rolling ball to close an electric circuit in which is disposed a score register or analogous auxiliary means intended'to function when the ball contacts such target.

These games comprise a cabinet, carrying a ball rolling board or table sloped slightly from the horizontal so that when a ball is projected to the high end of the board. it may roll down the same toward the low end thereof. It is desirable to provide obstacles or targets in spaced relation on the board to be impinged or contacted by the rolling ball; and somehow to tally each such hit for score keeping purposes. It is also desirable to produce novel ball rolling action in these games to afford maximum amusement to the player.

In the present structure each target is in the form of a post, carrying a horizontal bumper disk at an elevation above the board to be hit by a rolling ball and to rebound therefrom for further rolling action. Coaxially surrounding each post and nestled in an opening in the board is a circular platform adapted to be yieldingly supported at the level of the playing surface so that a relatively heavy ball rolling onto the platform will weight it down sufficiently to cause momentary closing of an electric switch in a circuit including means to operate some'desired auxiliary device, such as a score counter.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved ball rolling game.

Another object is to provide an improved ball engaged contact member on the game board.

Another object is to provide a novel form of circuit closer designed for use with a ball rolling game.

Other objects will become apparent'to those skilled in this art as the disclosure is more fully made.

A practicable example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a general plan view of a typical ball rolling game, incorporating the novel bumper elements;

Figure 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the improved switch structure; and,

Figure 3 is a vertical, sectional view through the improved bumper and switch structure taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The game comprises a rectangular cabinet l0 carrying a wooden board ll, providing the usual ball rolling surface sloped slightly from the horizontal, so that a metal ball (indicated at l2 in Figure 3) projected by a projector i3 mounted in the front wall of the cabinet, will roll through the usual side passage ll, around the arch guide l5. and strike a rebound block l8, whereupon the ball gravitates down the board toward the low end of the board in the usual manner. The low end of the board is formed with guide walls I! and a notch l8-to receive spent balls arriving at the low Frictionally fitted to the lower end of the post 22 is a metal washer 24, said washer 24 carrying three equally spaced upright metal sleeves 25 for clamping a pack of insulator washers 26 between which arecarried an upper set of three angularly spaced substantially horizontal spring switch arms 21 and a complementary set of similarlyarranged lower switch arms 28, there being thus provided three pairs of spring blade switch arms normally gapped' apart and including contact points 29.

Carried within each hole i9 and resting on or secured to the upper switch blades 21 is a relatively large platform in the form of an inverted cup 30 substantially occupying the hole l9 and its top disposed at a level but slightly above the level of the playing surface of the board H, said platform having a rounded periphery 3| to facilitate rolling of a ball i2 thereonto.

The platforms 30 each have an axial opening 32 through which the posts 22 respectively extend upwardly, the top end of each post carrying a circular horizontal disk 33 at an elevation above the platform, said disk including a circumferential groove 34 to facilitate the mounting of a rubber bumper cushion 35 as shown in Figure 3. A nut 36 serves to hold this assembly together in an obvious manner.

A wire 31 is in electrical connection with the support 20, an electromagnetic device 38 in circuit with a source of energy 39, and a wire 40 completes the circuit to the bottom member 24. The device 38 when energized may in any well known manner operate a score-tally device, each time it is energized.

It will be noted that the platform 30 is concentric with each bumper disk 33 but is of relatively larger diameter, so that the metal ball l2 may operate the platform 32 by weighting it down to close the switch contacts 29 without always hitting the bumper 35 which acts merely points 29 are so spaced angularly that no matter from what direction a ball rolls onto the platform 30 it will be sure to be weighted down to close at least one of the sets of switch arms to close the circuit described. The instant the ball rolls off the platform the upper spring arms 21 are sufficiently sprlngy to cause the same to raise the platform 30 to open the switch contacts 29 in an obvious manner, and open the circuit to deenergize the device 38.

The manner of use and operation will be obvious from the above description, to those skilled in this art, and need not further be elaborated.

It can now be seen that a novel game device has been provided which attains the desirable objects heretofore recited.

It is the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein shown and described, which do not in material respects constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as covered by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a ball rolling game apparatus having a board sloped from the horizontal and providing a surface over which a ball may be rolled, said board provided with an opening, a support carried below said board and opening, an inverted cup shaped platform substantially occupying said opening and carried on said support, and a resilient means comprising a normally open switch for an electric circuit closable by said platform when the ball rolls thereonto from any direction to weight the same down, said resilient means being disposed between the platform and support.

2. In a ball rolling game apparatus having a board sloped from the horizontal and providing a surface over which a ball may be rolled, said board provided with a circularopening of considerably larger diameter than the ball, a support carried by the underside of the board below the opening, radially extending spaced pairs of spring switch arms carried by said support, said switch arms being normally gapped apart and disposed in an electric circuit, and a platform carried on said arms within the opening substantially to occupy same and positioned to beweighted down when a ball rolls thereoverto close one or more of said switches, said platform lying substantially flush and parallel with the board surface whereby a ball on the board may roll onto the platform from any direction.

3. In a ball rolling game apparatus having a board sloped from the horizontal and providing a surface over which a b .1 may be rolled, said board provided with a circular opening considerably larger in size than the diameter of the ball, a support carried by the underside of the board below the opening, an upright post carried by said support to extend upwardly through the opening, a bumper element carried at the upper end of the post, and a resiliently mounted plat form carried on the support in said opening below the bumper element and at substantially board level in parallel therewith, said element and platform being coaxially-mounted in relation to each other with the platform being of relatively larger diameter than the element and substantially occupying the opening, said bumper preventing a ball from diametrically rolling over the platform.

4. Ina ball rolling game apparatus having a substantially horizontal board formed with an opening, a support carried by the board under to cause a ball to rebound therefrom? The switch said opening, an upright post carried by the support centrally in said opening and extending above the top surface of the board, a bumper element carried on the post and adapted to be hit by a ball rolling on the board, and a platform carried for up and down movement in said opening concentrically in relation to the post and adapted to move downwardly under the weight of a ball rolling thereonto to serve as a circuit closer, said platform lying substantially parallel and flush with the board so that a ball may roll thereonto from any direction.

5. In a ball rolling game apparatus having a substantially horizontal board formed with an opening, a support carried by the board under said opening, an upright post carried by the support centrally in said opening and extending above the top surface of the board, a bumper element carried on the post and adapted to be hit by a ball rolling on the board, and a yield- 'ably mounted platform occupying said opening at the level of the board, said platform and bumper element both being circular with the platform of relatively larger diameter and the post passed concentrically therethrough, and a switch structure between the platform and support for a circuit adapted to be closed when a ball rolls on the platform, said platform lying substantially parallel and flush with the board so that a ball may roll thereonto from any direction, the bumper preventing a ball from diametrically crossing the platform.

6. In a ball rolling game apparatus having a game board formed with an opening, a support under the opening, a platform carried in the opening with its surface normally disposed slightly above the game board surface and parallel thereto, yieldable means between the support and platform, balls being rollable on the board and onto the platform from any direction to weight the latter down, and means substantially centrally disposed relative to the platform to prevent a ball from rolling centrally across the platform.

7. In a ball rolling game apparatus having a game board formed with an opening, a support under the opening, a platform carried in the opening with its surface normally disposed slightly above the game board surface and parallel thereto, yieldable means between the support and platform, balls being rollable on the board and onto the platform from any direction to weight the latter down, and means carried by the support and operatively associated with the platform to constrain a ball rolling onto the platform to movement over its outer edge thereof only.

8. In a ball rolling game apparatus having a board sloped from the horizontal and providing a surface over which a ball may be rolled, said board havinga circular opening formed therein of a size considerably larger than the diameter of the ball, a support carried by the board beneath said opening, a spring contact means mounted on the support and being open normally and disposed in an electrical circuit, and an inverted cup-shaped circular platform substantially occupying the opening and resting on thecontact means, the top of the platform lying substantially flush and parallel with the surface of the board to receive a ball to roll thereon from any direction on the board surface whereby to weight same down to close the contact means.

CHARLES J. BREITENSTEIN. 

